Table of Contents:
- How Much do you have to Swim to Lose Weight?
- The Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
- How to Make Swimming More Effective for Weight Loss
- The Best Swimming Strokes for Weight Loss
- How to Create a Swimming Workout for Weight Loss
- Swimming Workouts for Beginners
- Swimming Workouts for Intermediate Swimmers
- Swimming Workouts for Advanced Swimmers
Looking to lose weight and get in shape? You might be surprised to learn that swimming can be an excellent workout for weight loss! You don’t even have to swim very far or fast to see results.
Check out our infographic to learn more about how much you need to swim to lose weight.

How Much do you have to Swim to Lose Weight?
There is no simple answer to this question. How much weight you will lose by swimming depends on several factors, including your current weight, your diet, and how often you swim.
One way to estimate how many calories you burn while swimming is to use a calorie calculator. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds and swim at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, you would burn approximately 183 calories.
To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume. How many calories you need to burn each day to lose weight depends on your weight-loss goals.
For example, if you want to lose one pound per week, you would need to create a 500-calorie deficit each day. This could be accomplished by swimming for 30 minutes and then reducing your daily calorie intake by 500 calories.
The Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss
Swimming is often heralded as one of the best forms of exercise for weight loss. And it’s no wonder why: Not only does swimming burn a ton of calories, but it’s also a low-impact workout, meaning it won’t hurt your joints like other high-impact activities such as running or jumping.
But how much do you really have to swim to see results? Well, that depends on a few factors, such as your weight, fitness level, and the intensity of your swimming. But in general, you can expect to burn anywhere from 500 to 700 calories per hour when swimming.
So, if you want to lose one pound per week, you would need to swim for about seven hours per week at a moderate pace. And if you want to lose two pounds per week, you would need to swim for about 14 hours per week.
Of course, these are just estimates and you may need to swim more or less depending on your individual circumstances.
Swimming is a great form of exercise for people who are looking to lose weight because it burns so many calories and can be done at different intensities to suit your needs. So get in the pool and start swimming laps today!

How to Make Swimming More Effective for Weight Loss
While you can certainly lose weight by swimming laps in the pool, it’s not the most effective way to use your time if weight loss is your main goal. In order to make swimming more effective for weight loss, you need to focus on three things: intensity, duration, and frequency.
Intensity:
The number of calories you burn while swimming depends on how hard you’re working. If you want to lose weight, you need to make sure you’re swimming at a high enough intensity to raise your heart rate and breathing and give your body a chance to burn some calories.
The best way to do this is to swim laps as fast as you can.
Duration:
In order for swimming to be effective for weight loss, you need to swim for long enough that your body has a chance to burn calories. A good rule of thumb is to swim for at least 30 minutes at a time.
If you can’t swim for that long all at once, break it up into shorter sessions throughout the week.
Frequency:
In order for swimming to be an effective way to lose weight, you need to do it frequently enough that it becomes part of your routine. A good goal is to swim 3-5 times per week.
The Best Swimming Strokes for Weight Loss
If you’re looking to burn calories, swimming is a solid choice. It’s an effective, low-impact workout that can be done year-round.
And whether you swim for leisure or competitively, there are different strokes you can use to target different muscle groups — which means you can tailor your swim workouts to your specific fitness goals.
Here’s a breakdown of the different strokes and their benefits:
Free Style (front crawl)
This is the most popular stroke and is often used in competitive swimming. It’s also one of the fastest strokes, making it a great choice if you’re looking to lose weight.
To do a freestyle stroke, float on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you and your legs together. Then, kick your legs up and down while alternating your arm strokes.
Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight down at the bottom of the pool so you can keep track of where you’re going.
Breast Stroke
This stroke works your chest, arms, and legs equally and is a good option if you want to focus on toning your upper body. It’s also a good choice if you have joint pain, as it puts less strain on your joints than other strokes.
To do a breaststroke, float on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you and your legs together. Then, kick your legs up and down while simultaneously pulling your arms back toward your body (as if you’re drawing a bow and arrow).
Repeat this motion until you reach the other side of the pool.
Butterfly Stroke
This stroke is similar to the freestyle stroke, but with a few key differences. The butterfly stroke is faster than the freestyle stroke, making it great for weight loss.
However, it’s also more difficult to master and puts more strain on your joints — so it’s not recommended if you have joint pain or are new to swimming.
To do a butterfly stroke, float on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you and your legs together. Then, kick both legs up and down at the same time while alternately moving your arms back toward your body (as if you’re drawing a bow and arrow).
Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight down at the bottom of the pool so you can keep track of where you’re going

How to Create a Swimming Workout for Weight Loss
Swimming workouts can be a great way to help you lose weight. To get the most benefit from swimming for weight loss, it’s important to create a workout that is effective and efficient. Here are some tips to help you create a great swimming workout for weight loss.
First, consider your current fitness level and choose workouts that are appropriate for you. If you are just starting out, it’s important to ease into things and not overdo it. Start with shorter workouts and gradually increase the length of your swims as you get more fit.
Second, focus on swimming workouts that will help you burn the most calories. Interval training, where you swim at a higher intensity for short bursts followed by periods of lower-intensity swimming, is a great way to burn calories and lose weight.
Third, be sure to mix things up in your swimming workouts so you don’t get bored. Incorporate different strokes, such as breaststroke or backstroke, into your workout routine.
And switch up the types of workouts you do from time to time. For example, one day you might do a long-distance swim and another day you might do sprints or laps in the pool.
Last, don’t forget to stay hydrated during your swimming workout! Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your swim replacing sugary drinks with water will help keep you hydrated and will also help you lose weight.

Swimming Workouts for Beginners
When most people think about swimming workouts, they envision long-distance freestyle swimming. But you don’t have to swim laps to get a great workout in the pool. In fact, if you’re just starting out, you may want to focus on shorter workouts that target specific muscle groups.
Here are three swimming workouts for beginners that will help you tone your arms, legs, and core:
The first workout is a simple freestyle swim.
Start by swimming for two minutes at a moderate pace. Then, pick up the pace for one minute and swim as fast as you can. Repeat this cycle four times for a total of 20 minutes.
The second workout is a freestyle swim with intermittent sprints.
Start by swimming for two minutes at a moderate pace. Then, pick up the pace for 30 seconds and swim as fast as you can. Return to your moderate pace and repeat this cycle eight times for a total of 20 minutes.
The third workout is a circuit that incorporates different strokes.
Start by swimming one length of the pool using any stroke you like. Then, without resting, swim back using a different stroke. Repeat this cycle four times, mixing up the strokes each time (for example freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly).

Swimming Workouts for Intermediate Swimmers
In order to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume in a day. You can create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories, exercising more, or ideally, doing a combination of both.
Swimming is a great exercise for weight loss because it is low-impact and can be done at any fitness level. In order to see results, you need to be consistent with your workouts and make sure you are challenging yourself.
The following swimming workouts are designed for intermediate swimmers who have a basic understanding of the different strokes. If you are new to swimming, make sure to check with a certified swim instructor before attempting any of these workouts.
##Swimming Workout
Warm up with 5-10 minutes of easy swimming. Then, do the following:
-8 x 25 meters (m) freestyle (swimming with arms only)
-4 x 50 m freestyle
-2 x 100 m freestyle
-1 x 200 m freestyle
-8 x 25 m breaststroke
-4 x 50 m breaststroke
-2 x 100 m breaststroke
-1 x 200 m breaststroke
-8 x 25 m backstroke
-4 x 50 backstroke
-2x 100 m backstroke
-1x 200m backstroke
Cool down with 5-10 minutes of easy swimming.
Swimming Workouts for Advanced Swimmers
If you want to swim your way to weight loss, it’s important to have realistic expectations and be willing to commit to a consistent workout routine.
Swimming is a great form of exercise for people of all fitness levels, but it’s especially beneficial for those who are looking to shed a few extra pounds.
The number of calories you can burn while swimming depends on a number of factors, including your weight, intensity level, and swimming style.
A general rule of thumb is that you can burn about 500 calories per hour when swimming at a moderate pace. If you’re looking to lose weight, you’ll need to be swimming for at least 45 minutes per day, 5 days per week.
While it’s definitely possible to lose weight by swimming, it’s important to keep in mind that this form of exercise is not a quick fix.
In order to see results, you’ll need to be consistent with your workouts and make healthy lifestyle choices outside of the pool. Swimming is a great workout, but it’s not the only answer when it comes to weight loss.
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